LEARNING AND

THE TEENAGE BRAIN

FACT OR MYTH

Enriched environments grow dendrites• Yes – lots of changes when exposed to

enriched environments – but must engage with the environment – not just have ‘stuff’ around

Fact or Myth? (cont)

Brain power is inherited• Nature and nurture – both

Experience affects how the brain is organized• Yes. The organisation of the brain is

influenced by the environment

Fact or Myth? (cont)

Music enhances general cognitive abilities

• Music in general seems to enhance cognitive abilities, focus and concentration seem to be affected positively

Pruning is a process that occurs in ‘teen brains’• Yes. Adolescence seems to be one of the times

of great pruning as the brain matures

The brain during adolescence

• Puberty is marked by a dramatic increase in neuron connectivity and growth throughout many parts of the brain

• During adolescence, many neural pathways will be pruned away because the pathways are not used

• Maturation and development of cognitive functioning and higher-level thinking skills

The adolescent brain

• A use-it-or-lose-it process. Neural connections that get used and exercised are strengthened and retained while those that are not get pruned away. “Teens have the power to determine their own brain development – which connections survive and which don’t”

The adolescent brain (cont…)

• Overreliance on the amygdala (the emotional gatekeeper of the brain). Teenagers do more of their thinking and decision-making in this part of the brain

• Greater need for proper nutrition, rest and sleep

• Its development depends largely upon the kinds and quality of experiences it receives.

• Last part to mature – part in which higher-level thinking and more rational decision-making occurs

Physical activity and movement greatly enhance learning for the teenage brain

• Regulates energy and attention levels in the brain and affects the release of hormones

• Can actually build brain cells• Optimises development of key areas of the

brain• Builds strong memory pathways• Learners become more receptive to and

engaged in the learning experience

Memory and learning in the teenage brain can be significantly affected by emotion

• Too much or too little will derail learning• The brain is wired to pay attention first to

sensory information that has a strong emotional content

• Strong emotional responses like anger, fear and intense anxiety can override conscious thought processing

Optimal sleep

• Need 8/9 hrs sleep, but most get less – about 70% of teenagers suffer from sleep deprivation. Teenagers who get the least sleep do the poorest academically.

• Effective learning requires the right state of mind – relaxed alertness

SUMMARYwhat does this mean to me as a parent?

Create an enriched learning environment at home by:

• actively valuing learning in the home through conversations and opportunities to apply learning and make connections between the learning and the world in which we live

• Encouraging students to use as many senses as possible in learning – to read, see, look, apply …

Summary (cont..)

• Encouraging physical activity and movement • Acknowledging the role of emotion in the

process of learning and helping your daughter with strategies to manage the impact of negative stress